Blue Ridge Parkway Sunset

[JB Ellis]

I'm new, first post so I might not do it right. This is an HDR from Bear Den Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway taken last weekend.

[David Kennedy]

JB,
Foremost, let me welcome you to BPN!

I really like the colors that you have going here, and I feel that you did well compositionally. I'm not sure that I care for the stone guardrail on the LRH side, but it's a matter of taste. I think you did a good job with the HDR conversion, although I'll admit I do not claim to be an expert on it. Hopefully Robert Amoruso or Michael Pancier will be able to make a comment directed at the HDR element of your image.

The only thing that is a bit distracting to me is that the foreground trees appear very bright, as does the horizon line along the ridges of the mountains, but the middle ground seems a bit dark. It might just be that the trees in the foreground are so bright that the transition feels a bit awkward.

Otherwise, I think you've got a strong image. I hope I've given you some ideas for how it might become even better.

Cheers,
David

[Robert Amoruso]

JB,

Welcome to BPN. Nice effort on the HDR. Compositionally, I am OK with the wall at the turnoff. Very typical problem on the parkway as you cannot get an image like this with the height advantage. To me, it adds that sense of "being there" because you eye so easily discards the wall in the cor of your eye though you know its there. Am I making sense? :)

Anyway, always try to get some images w/o the hand of man too - perhaps a bit of hiking might be needed.

As is sometimes the case, HDRs can tend to look flat and benefit from post process contrast enhancement. Though here, that bit of flatness does make for nice muted colors. I reposted a version with Local Contrast Enhancement using USM on a BG copy and settings of 20/50/0. That increases contrast.
Another problem is halos in the mountains where one range recedes into the other. If using Photomatix, try more light smoothing to even the tonal transition at this area. You also probably have a halp at the mountain to sky transition but the already bright sunset obscures it.

Notice the my contrast enhancement only accentuates the halos. Check your software's documentation for how to reduce halos.

Please mention the full technical details of the image. Camera, lens, exposure, iso. Also the HDR software used and the number of frames used if a stitch. Thanks and we hope to see more work.

[JB Ellis]

Thanks David and Robert for your comments. The details of the photo are; Canon 20d, Sigma 17-70, ISO 400, Software is Photomatrix Pro3, 3 jpg exposures at -2, 0, & +2. No adjustments were made to the photo in PS Elements6 or in the standard setup in Photomatrix. I've only done a few HDRs and don't know much about them. Just ran the program with the standard setup. I like the increased contrast in the re-post. I'll try that next time. As to the halo in the mountains, it's probably not "realistic", but I think it looks kind of neat, especially in the re-post. About the wall, I have others without the wall, but they weren't as interesting at first glance. I also like the sense of place it gives.

[Fabs Forns]

I like the border, it adds a point of interest to the image. For the colors, I'd like something in between the original and the re-post.